Микола Берестюк
The article is devoted to the study of the digital development of the national economy by comparing it with the countries of the European Union. It is established that the digital transformation of all spheres of activity is a natural manifestation of the globalization and the society informatization processes. The importance of creating conditions for digital development in Ukraine is emphasized, taking into account the urgent need for new tools for the country's economic recovery and increasing the efficiency of the functioning of the state, especially in the context of gradual European integration. The need for an analytical study of digital development in Ukraine as a basis for making informed decisions on choosing the most promising areas of digital transformation is substantiated. The article aims to conduct a comparative assessment between the indicators of digital development of the national economy of Ukraine and the countries of the European Union, to calculate on this basis the size of the digital gap between the objects of comparison and to determine the guidelines for further activation of digital transformation. The basis for the comparative assessment were databases of international organizations and international statistical portals, and the national statistics database. The study used methods of statistical, dynamic and comparative analysis, the aggregation method, as well as methods of generalization and systematization. The study of the domestic statistical database in the field of ICT and digital development allowed us to conclude that, despite the gradual increase in attention to the processes of digital transformation, the data characterizing their course are scattered and fragmented. According to the Digital Economy and Society Index, the ICT Development Index, and separate World Development Indicators, the digital gaps of the national economy from the countries of the European Union were determined. On this basis, comparative coefficients of digital development of Ukraine were calculated and their dynamics were analyzed. It was established that along with the improvement in many indicators of digital development, Ukraine's lag behind the EU countries in the digital sphere remains significant. It was established that the level of digital lag of Ukraine was influenced by both internal processes in the country (in particular, those associated with full-scale military operations) and the technological leap of the EU countries in recent years. Priority areas of efforts at the state level have been identified to overcome the existing lag in the digital sphere from the EU countries.